The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant that is grown as an ornamental for border, patio container or hanging basket. The new cultivar is known botanically as Nemesia×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Fleuripi’. The new variety ‘Fleuripi’ is floriferous, sets few seeds, exhibits upright compact habit, medium-green leaves, and flowers that are a strong pink color.
‘Fleuripi’ is a hybrid that resulted from a formal breeding program begun by the inventor in 1998 at her nursery in West Sussex, United Kingdom. The purpose of the breeding program is to produce new varieties of Nemesia that exhibit compact habit, new flower color and improved flower size.
In 1999, the inventor cross-pollinated Nemesia ‘Confetti’ (unpatented) as female parent with an unnamed single individual Nemesia seedling as male parent. The inventor collected the seed, then sowed and grew to flowering stage many plants from this cross-pollination. From these plants, the inventor selected one plant known to the inventor as Nemesia seedling #7 (unpatented), for the purposes of further breeding. In 2000, the inventor deliberately cross-pollinated Nemesia ‘Confetti’ as female parent with and Nemesia seedling #7 (unpatented) as male parent. The inventor collected the seed, then sowed and grew to flowering stage many plants from this cross-pollination and from which the inventor selected ‘Fleuripi’ as a single plant with the desired characteristics described herein.
‘Fleuripi’ is distinguishable from the male parent Nemesia seedling #7 in upright compact growth habit. Nemesia seedling #7 exhibits a trailing growth habit. ‘Fleuripi’ is distinguishable from the female parent ‘Confetti’ by small size, flower color, and compact growth habit. Nemesia ‘Confetti’ is more than twice the height, with pale pink flowers. The closest comparison plant is Nemesia ‘Confetti’ which exhibits pale pink flowers and tall upright habit.
‘Fleuripi’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor in 2001 in a cultivated area of West Sussex, United Kingdom using softwood cuttings. The distinguishing characteristics of ‘Fleuripi’ have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.